Mercedes-Benz PHEV A-Class arrives Down Under
MERCEDES-BENZ Australia/Pacific has announced its A250e plug-in hybrid (PHEV) compact car has arrived in local showrooms, with the green variant priced from $63,400 plus on-roads for the hatch.
The sedan meanwhile asks $66,000, making the PHEV duo the most expensive non-performance variant in the A-Class range, sitting above the A250 4Matic ($56,900/$59,200) while slotting in below the A35 AMG ($68,935/$72,135).
Unsurprisingly, the headline act of the A250e is its hybrid powertrain, which teams a 118kW/250Nm 1.3-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine to a 75kW/300Nm electric motor for a combined output of 160kW/450Nm.
Outputs for the PHEV come up 5kW short of the petrol-powered A250, but well ahead on torque by 100Nm.
The electric motor draws power from a 15.6kWh lithium-ion battery which can provide up to 73km of pure-electric driving range as well as slash average fuel consumption.
In hybrid mode, the A250e sips just 1.6 litres of fuel per 100km, while emitting just 34 grams of CO2 per kilometre.
Using a standard Type 2 plug, the battery can be charged on AC power at a rate of 3.7kW – alternatively, a Mercedes Wallbox can be installed at home for $1250, which can provide up to 22kW on three-phase power.
A DC charging package can also be optioned for $1490, which uses a Type 2 CCS plug, which will allow charging from 10 to 80 per cent in 25 minutes.
Mated to an eight-speed transmission optimised for hybrid driving, the A250e sprints from standstill to 100km/h in 6.6 seconds for the hatch, with the sedan arriving 0.1s later.
Comfort, Eco and Sport modes are available, while the regenerative braking strength can be adjusted via steering wheel-mounted paddles.
Stored at the rear of the vehicle, the battery compromises boot space slightly, down 60 litres in the hatch to 310L, while the sedan loses 75L at 355L.
Standard kit includes 18-inch alloy wheels, MBUX infotainment system, Artico upholstery, wireless smartphone charging, pre-entry climate control and LED headlights.
Safety equipment extends to blind spot assist, active lane keep assist, traffic sign assist, adaptive high-beam assist, Pre-Safe system and nine airbags.
The introduction of the A250e gives Mercedes a leg up over its German prestige competitors, with neither Audi or BMW offering a PHEV in their A3 and 1 Series compact offerings.
To the end of August, Mercedes has sold 4336 examples of the A-Class, up 29.3 per cent year-to-date despite the Covid-19-influenced market downturn and enough for comfort segment leadership.
2020 Mercedes-Benz A-Class pricing*
| Hatch | |
| A180 (a) | $43,900 |
| A250 FWD (a) | $50,700 |
| A250 4Matic (a) | $56,900 |
| A250e (a) | $63,400 |
| A35 AMG (a) | $68,935 |
| A45 S AMG (a) | $93,235 |
| Sedan | |
| A180 (a) | $46,200 |
| A200 (a) | $50,900 |
| A250 FWD (a) | $53,000 |
| A250 4Matic (a) | $59,200 |
| A250e (a) | $66,000 |
| A35 AMG (a) | $72,135 |
*Excludes on-road costs
